classic books

Book Review: Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tarzan and Jane have lost their vast fortune, so Tarzan journeys to Opar to plunder the treasure troves of that lost civilization. But his journey is perilous, and a treacherous friend brings ruin and betrayal that will bring down even strong Tarzan. Jane is left to defend herself against the marauding Arabs, and Tarzan will have to call once again on his animal friends of the jungle to save the day.

I always like the pace of a Burroughs novel. No frills or tangents, just straightforward action and plot that moves briskly. With very few words, Burroughs paints a vivid picture of the setting, the characters, and the action. Continue reading →

Shakespeare Review: Pericles

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Pericles
Pericles by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

King Antiochus declares that any suitor for his daughter’s hand in marriage must first answer a riddle, and if the suitor answers incorrectly, he forfeits his life. Everyone has failed to answer the riddle, until Prince Pericles comes along, and figures out that the riddle means that Antiochus is committing incest with his daughter.

Enraged at being found out, Antiochus tries to have Pericles assassinated, and Pericles flees to the sea. A storm wrecks his ship and he is cast ashore with only his armor at Pentapolis, where King Simonedes is holding a tournament for his daughter’s birthday. Pericles wins the tournament and weds Thaisa. Continue reading →

Classics Review: Framley Parsonage

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Framley Parsonage
Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mark Robarts, the vicar at Framley Parsonage, has a seemingly perfect life. He has the patronage of the great Lady Lufton, and the friendship of her son, Lord Lufton. He has a darling wife, Fanny, and lovely children, and everything a man could want on a moderate income.

But Mark becomes involved with the “wrong” sort of people, gamblers, debtors, and disreputable gentlemen of society. Mark’s kindness is taken advantage of, and his generosity lands him in a difficult money situation, which will be his ruin unless his high moral standards can eventually be his salvation. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Taming of the Shrew

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The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

That is perhaps the most terrible thing I have ever read. I mean, I knew it would be disparaging of women and archaic in it’s ideas, but seriously! I never imagined that this play would be so entirely anti-feminist; buying and selling women in marriage without one single man ever once asking what the woman wants. All they talked about was price and goods and ownership, as if a marriage was a financial transaction. Continue reading →

Play Review: Titus Andronicus

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Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is a truly terrible play. The writing is decent, but the subject material…. ugh! So much violence and nastiness and evil, it made me cringe.
Titus Andronicus is a Roman general just back from war with the Goths, and he kills the son of Tamora, the Queen of the Goths, starting a cycle of revenge that ends with lots of blood on both sides.

It’s a tragedy, so I know nearly everyone is going to die, but still… really over the top violence and bloodshed. Continue reading →

Avatar Last Airbender Book Tag

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Clockwork Reader Original Tag: https://youtu.be/YpEvXo91K-I
Questions:
Water
1. Katara and Sokka: Best sibling relationship
2. Yue: Favorite star crossed lovers
3. Blood Bending: A book with a disturbing/unsettling concept Continue reading →